Chapter 4: Big Super Birthday Bash
It had been a week since Jimbo had thrown away his money on those useless gadgets; it had also been a week since RJ had left Jimbo's closet and returned to the URF.
"JIMBO, PLEASE WAKE UP," blurted the built in alarm clock, "JIMBO, PLEASE WAKE UP." Jimbo groaned and mumbled, "Alarm off." The transparent covering opened up and he stumbled out of bed.
Suddenly, Jimbo froze in his tracks. Today isn't just any other horrid day, he thought. It's my 13th birthday. No more PG movies, no more being called a youngin', no more Sugar Coated Chocolate Covered Frosted Marshmallow Puffs for breakfast. I'm finally a teenager.
He hopped joyfully into the kitchen and grabbed a toaster pastry, said goodbye to his parents, and sped off on his hoverbike. Ah, he thought, today is the best day ever.
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Jimbo stomped into the house with numerous colored stains on his shirt and some spaghetti noodles draped over his head.
"So, how was my little birthday boy's special day?" asked Jimbo's mother.
"Let's see," growled Jimbo. He took a large breath. "I nearly got ran over five times on the way to school, I dropped my lunch off of my hoverbike, had to buy lunch, accidentally bumped into Quain, the school bully, I was consequently thrown into a dumpster, got a D on the test, my hoverbike ran out of hover fluid on the way home, I had to take the bus home, took the wrong bus, got on the right one, made friends with a hobo who later betrayed me, and finally reached home."
"Oh, well it probably wasn't that bad," said Jimbo's mother.
Jimbo just growled incoherently and stomped into his room. He closed the doors as hard as he could.
"Jimbo," his dad said from the other side of the door, "did you invite who you wanted to come to your big super birthday bash?"
Jimbo groaned. "Dad, I'm a bit too old for "big super birthday bashes" now, okay?"
"Oh, c'mon, son, it'll be fun!"
Jimbo knew there was no being on the face of Xandox that could convince his father not to have a birthday party for him.
"Oh, alright..." Of course, he could only think of one person to invite, and that was Elwood. But Jimbo didn't want his parents to know that he was dangerously unpopular. He had to think up some others. Let's see...hmm...
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A few hours later, Jimbo was sitting at the dinner table, silly birthday hat and all, with a frosted cake in front of him. Jimbo's mother, father, Elwood, an old man Jimbo had met on the bus, and RJ were all singing "Happy Birthday" to him, RJ looking quite humiliated. Jimbo blew out the candles and made his wish: I wish my life wasn't so horrible, he thought.
They all went over to the couch. Jimbo looked at his first present. It was the shape of a shoebox. Could it be? thought Jimbo, Could it really be?
He opened the box, and sure enough, it was hovershoes. Jimbo leapt off of the couch and jumped with glee. "Thanks, Elwood!" he said enthusiastically.
Elwood just smiled and said, "No problem, buddy."
Now this next present had holes in it. Jimbo rubbed his noggin. Holes...it has to breathe...let's see...Oh my gosh! I know what it is! It's a pet Fuzzbo! I always wanted one!
Jimbo tore through the wrapping paper like a dog searching for his favorite bone. He opened the cage and...no Fuzzbo.
"So, son, do you like it?" asked Dad.
"Um...Up...Erp...w-what is it?" stuttered Jimbo.
"It's a Fuzzbo, son! You've wanted a pet since you were five!"
"And...you're...you're...completely sure that it is a Fuzzbo?"
"Of course!"
Jimbo lifted it out of the cage. It was a squishy, blue, triangular-shaped blob.
"Well, it was being used for an experiment down at work," his dad said. Jimbo's dad was a janitor for the Universal RoboForce. "They said that they were trying to create the ultimate creature, but it failed. So they let me take it home for free!"
Jimbo stared at the thing. Fuzzbos are fuzzy, cute, and cuddly. This thing was squishy, lumpy and saggy. They must have made quite a bit of changes on this former Fuzzbo.
"So, what are you going to name it, honey?" asked Jimbo's mom.
"I'll name it...er...Squishbo."
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As the guests left, RJ came up to Jimbo.
"Jimbo," he said, "I really feel bad about you buying all of that stuff for me and not being able to return it. Now, I know this won't fully pay you back, but...I am willing to take you for a ride in a URF spaceship if you'd like."
"Wow, really?!" squealed Jimbo, "That'd be so cool! Thanks a lot, man!"
"You're very welcome, Jimbo. Here's my home phone number; call me whenever you would like that ride of yours. You are a very mediocre martian. Goodbye." RJ marched out the door gallantly.
Squishbo bounced over to Jimbo. Jimbo rolled his eyes and said, "You sure are a weirdo, Squishbo. Hey, now we've got something in common!"
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